Electric tempering-furnace.



V. ROYLE.

ELECTRIC TEMPBRING FURNAGE. 'APPLIOATIQN FILED AUG. 24, 190s.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented June 8, 1909.

V. ROYLE.

ELECTRIC TBMPEBING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED mm2/1, 1906. 924,109. I Patented June, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. RO'YLE.

ELEGTRIG TEMPERING FURNAE. APPLICATION FILED 11116.24, 1.906.

Patented June 8, 1909.

y V. ROYLB. ELECTRIC TBMPERING PURNAGB.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24, 1906. 924, 109. Patendy June 8, 1909.

4 SHEETNSHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. citizen of lthe United States, and

'of Paterson,

` inv furnace,

which thefollowing is adapted to tempering f IVERNON ROYLE, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

` A ELECTRIC 'rEMPEmNG-FURNACE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

,Application filed August 24, 1906. Serial N0. 331,852.

To all whom, 'it may concern:

Beffit known that I, VERNON ROYLE, va resident in the county of -Passaic and State of New Jersey,'have inventeda new and useful ElectricTempering-Furnace, of

a speciication" to an electric temper- My invention relates with the object in View of provv1 means for automatically tempering tools, insuring a uniform temper without the necessary aid of skilled labor.

The particular form of furnace which I Ihave chosen to illustrate my invention is what are known as routing cutters where it is importantthat they 'Shall have a hardness and toughness whicl enable them to work ell'ectively in Cutti'n'g'metal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa view. of the furnace in side elevation showing the means which coacttherewith to furnish a cooling liquid ata substantially uniform temperature and also the means for removing the tempered tools from the farnace, 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken centrally through the furnace proper, 3 is a top plan view of thesame,

.Figa et is 'a horizontal sect-ion taken in the plane of the line A-A of Fig. Q, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section 'taken in the plane of the line B-B of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the receiving box.

As the parts are set up'in Fig. 1 the iiooron which the 'tank of cooling liquid is placed is denoted by 1 and on this floor there is a platform 2 on which the pedestal 3 for supporting the furnace is xed. The tank for containing the cooling liquid, in the present. instance brine, is denoted by 4f and the box into which the heated tools are dropped as they pass through the brine is denoted by 5.

The vparticular arrangement of pipes for conveying the coolingI liquid to and from the pipe and the mechanism for removing theft'o'ols from the receiving box will be hereinafter more particularly described.

vOn the pedestal there is mounted a base plate 6 preferably of circular form.` here shown as bolted by means of bolts T to a ilange 8 at the top of the pedestal. On the upper face of the said base plate there is a track 9 supplied with ball bearings 10 on which rests., an `annular box fazne 11 containing' theelectric retorts. It is found deyto the binding' sirable to locate the retorts in two annular series, the outer annular series being denoted by 12 and the inner annular series by 13.

hese are arranged in staggered order with relation to one another, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. These retorts are preferably packed in asbestos 14 and held imposition by thin perforated, metallic plates lf, 14**, which are securedv to the box frame and serve as headers for the opposite ends of the retorts.

coils of each retort to electric contact rings 15, 16, those from one pole leading to the ring 15 and Vthose from the opposite pole `leading from the ring 16. These rings l5, 16, areembedded in the asbestos 1i and in-l sulated from each other and from the surrounding walls of the box frame'and from them cables lead through the interior wall of the box frame to binding posts connected with kelectric conductor rings preferably of brass denoted by 1T, 18. The cable leading post on the ring 1T is denoted by 19 and the cable leading to the binding post on the ring 1S is denoted by 20.

Two conducting posts, denoted by 21, 22, are set in the base plate 6 and extend upwardly spaced, apart and spaced from the inner face of the rinO's 1T, 1S, and each is provided with a brush for engaging one of the rings 1T, 18. The brush on the post 21 for engaging the ring 1T is denoted by and the brush on the post for engaging the ring 1Sl is denoted by 21. The rings 1T,

1S, are insulated from one another and so are the posts 21, 1

Contact is made with the lower ends of the posts 21. "22. by' suitable electric conductorsl leading from a source ot' supply not shown.

The box traine 11 is caused to rotate on the ball bearings 1G by means of a pinion Q5. engaged with a rack 26 on the exterior of the box frame. the said pinion being fixed on a shat't QT provided with a' bevel gear :2S which meshes with a bevel gear 29 on the shaft 31') of a wheel 31 which. in turn, meshes with an intermediate wheel 32, the latter meshing with a pinion on the shaft 3l of a worm wheel which engages a worin 3G on the shaft of an electric motor 3T.

or convenience in determining the speed at which the box traine carrying the electric retorts shall travel, the wheel 32 is mounted in an elongated slot 3S, so that the wheel 3l may be interchang'cd with a wheel larger or Tires lead from the opposite poles of thev llO . which `projection 47 on the smaller than the wheel 31 to vary the speed of the drive pinion 25.

The rotary box frame carrying the electric retorts which may be hereinafter referred to as the retort frame, is conveniently held centrally in position by means of its connection with. the tool feeding disk to be Ahereinafter described. An annular guardV ange 1 39 fixed to the base plate enters a slot 40 inv the retort frame to protect the ball bearings from foreign matter.

Fixed to the base plate 6 along its outer edge is an overhanging annular frame 41 extends upwardly from the plate 6 exterior to the retort frame and then extends inwardly over the part of the box frame occupied by the retorts and serves to separate the retort frame from the tool lfeeding' disk 42. The latter is in the form of a circular cover crowned at the center and held centrally in position by a spindle 43 set in a socket 44 in the base plate and passing through a central hub 45 in the tool disk.

The tool disk 42 rests by means of an' annular downward projection 46 on an upward retort frame and is with the retort frame in the by means of one or more through a socket or sockets keyed to rotate present instance ins 48 passing .49 in the tool disk into a socket or sockets 50 in the retort frame. Y

The stationary separating frame '41 is provided with two holes 5l, 52,1with which the retorts in each of the two series are brought consecutively into alinement as the retort frame rotates. The tool disk 42 is provided with two series of holes or bottomless pockets 53, 54, corresponding to and in alinement with the electric retorts in the retort frame and consequently'v in position to be brought consecutively into alinement with the holes 51, 52, in the stationary frame which is interposed between the tool disk and retort frame. Throughout the rest of its extent, the stationary event is not provided with holes which will permit the tools to drop from their pockets in the tool disk and hence serves as a bottom to the pockets 53, 54, in the tool disk and also as a topV or cover to the retorts, save only where the holes 51 and 52 are located. The plate 41 may have a ring of asbestos 41* located therein along over the retorts.

At one point throughout its extent, the base plate 6 is provided with passageways 55, 56, in position to aline with the retorts in the two series, respectively. `These passageways are preferably formed in asteel plate or plates 57 set into a recess in the upper face of the base plate where the tool cooling tubes are attached. Throughout the rest of its extent, the base plate serves as a bottom to the electric retorts and these passageways 55, 56, serve as openings to the bottoms of the retorts as they vone after frame 41 is imperforate or in anyv v62, from the bottom of a supply another come over the passagewa-ys to per# mit the tools to be discharged into the ,cooling liquid.

From the passageways 55, 56,I pipes 58, 59, extend downwardly from the base plate to a receiving box 5 and their connection with the receiving box is a water-tight one. From the said receiving box a large tool delivery tube 61 extends upwardly to within convenient reach of the operator andthe cooling liquid is pumped by any suitable means, as, for example, by an electric pump pipe 64 intoan upwardly extending pipe D: bend 66 and a downwardly extending return pipe 67 extending into the upper part of the tank 4 at a distance from the intake end of the pipe 64.

From a point 68 in the upwardly extending pipe below the return bend v66, a ipe 69 extends to a point where it is coupled with the feed pipe 70 leading into the upper part of the delivery tube 61. This feed pipe 70 is pro 'ded with a valve 71 for -controlling the The top of thel tube 61 is above the tops of the tubes 58 and 59 which receive the heated. tools so that the water is forcedto rise from the receivingbox 5 up through the tubes 58, 59, to a point near their upper ends where they are provided with perforations 72, 73, forming an overflow which is received in a basin 74 surrounding Athe upper lportions of the tubes and from the bottom of which a return pipe 7 5 leads to the upper part of the supply tank 4. For the purpose of guiding the cutters as they leave the retort past the openings in the pipes through which the cooling liquid is forced and directing the cutters on their passage down the pipes, I may introduce short perforated tubes 58*, 59", depending from the base plate into the mouths of the tubes through which the cooling liquid passes. will pass through these short tubes into the cooling liquid pipes. v By placing the return bend 66 above the point where the cooling liquid is taken to the feed pipe 7 0 and receiving box, the cooling liquid is kept under a constant head so that when the valve 71 is once set, the supply of liquid to the receiving box will be constant and uniform. Furthermore, by drawing the liquid from the bottom of the tank and returnin it to the top at a -distance from the point where it is drawn at the bottom, the temperature of the liquid will be kept substantially constant for a considerable length of time, long enough for practical purposes.

the latter being provided with a return iow of liquid into the tube 61.`

tank 4 along The tools as they leave the retort v As the tools pass down throughl the tubes l 58, 59, into the receiving box, they are received in a removable vessel 7 6 of such size as may be drawn upwardly through the delivery tube 61|..

the delivery tube v6l, an empty vessel Will be at the same time placed in position to receive the tools from the tubes 58, 59. These vessels which receive the tools are perforate, conveniently made of open mesh Wire fabric7 and they may be lifted up through the large tube 6l by-means of any suitable hooked rod or other device of sufiicient length to be passed down throughl the tube'and engage them.

' The vessels 76 pass doivn through openings 8O in a circular shelf 81 attached to the spindle 7S and a guard flange 82 depending from the top of the receiver 5 serves to retain any tools, which may have fallen during the swinging of the table', in position to be pushed by the flange into the vessel as it moves into receiving position.

bend 83 at the lower ends of the tubes 59, serves to gradually retard the speed ofthe falling tooloto prevent injury.

In operation7 the current of electricity having Abeen turned on and the retorts raised to the desired heat, tools may be placed in' the pockets vin the tool `disk just after they have passed over the holes in the intermediate disk thus requiring them to travelalong With the tool disk a complete circuit and in so doing undergo a prelimi-l nary heating before they. are inally'discharged into the electric ret'orts. As they reach the limit of their circuit. they will pass through the holes in,l the intermediate plate and into the retorts, the discharge openings lin the base plate being so located with respect to the openings, passageways or 'holes in the intermediate plate that the retort ivill have passed over the discharge` opening in the base plate just before it receives the tool from the disk plate. In this position and subject to the heat of the electric retorts. the tools will be carried by the retort frame around on the base plate until they finally reach the discharge openings through the plate when they will be dischargedinto the tubes leading to the receiving box and Will pass through the cooling liquid as they travel along down the said tubes. The retorts having beenv heated to a predetermined heat andthe retort frame having been set to rotate at a speed which will assure the raising of the tool to that tical tube,

heat before it s discharged, the only attenp il t s l i tion aquel el the @aan a te leal the tools into the disk plate and remove the vessels from the receiving boX as they are filled.

That l claim is l. A tempering furnace comprising a ver tical retort. means for heating the retort, and means for passing a tool into and out of the retort by gravity.

2. A tempering furnace compri. ing a vermeans for heating the tube by electricity and means for passing' a tool into `and out of the tube by gravity.

3. A tempering furnace comprising 1aseries of vertical tubes, means for heatingtools b v electricity and means for passing `tools into and out of said tubes by gravity..

t. A tempering furnace comprisinga 'resvolving frame containing a series of electrically heated tubes and means for passing tools into and out of the tubes.

A tempering furnac comprising a revolving frame containing' a plurality of series of electrically heated tubes and means for passing tools into andout of the tubes.`

G. A tempering furnace comprising a se# ries of electrically heated tubes and mear" and discha g3" for automatically introducing ing t-he articles to be tempered.

T. tempering furnace comprising a h( il zontal frame supported upon ball bearings, retorts carried by'the frame', means for heating the retorts. means for revolving the frame and means cles to be tempered into and removing them from the retorts.

.S A tempering furnace comprising a re.

tort frame provided with retorts. means for heating' the retorts and a feed disk removablyy secured in position above the retorts for feeding the articles to be tempered lo the retorts and means for removing the articles from the retorts.

9. tempering furnace comprising a revolving retort frame provided ivith retorts.

means for heating theretorts, a feed disk mounted to revolve ivith the retort frame and provided with perforations for the reception of the articles to be tempered and means for permitting the articles to fall from the feed disk'into the retorts at predetermined intervals.

l0. A tempering furnace comprising a re.-

volving retort frame provided with rbtorts. i

means for heating the retorts. a perforated feed disk provided with perforations corresponding to the retorts and an imiermediate plate forming a bottom to the perfor-ations in thefeed disk and a -top to the retorts. the said feed plate beingpcrforated at a suitable interval or suitable intervals to permit the articles to pass from the feed plate into the retorts and means for dit-'charging the tools from the retoits.

for introducing the arti-A llO ,from the retorts.

-`and extending over the retorts within the frame, retorts, meansrfor heating the retorts. al feed disk mounted to rotate-with the retort frame and located abovey the said overhangling plate', the said feed disk being provided withperforations for holding the articles to be tempered in alinement with the retorts.

,fthe Y said over-hanging plate being provided withy perforations for permitting the articles to drop into the retorts at a predetermined point and meansfor removing the articles 12. A tempering furnace comprising a re- Volving retort frame provided with retorts, means for heating the retorts, a feed .disk rovided' with perforations' in alinement with' the retorts, va plate interposed between the feed disk and the retort frame to form a bottom to the feed disk, perforations and a top to the retcrts and a support for the re- Volving retort framev arranged to form a closure for the bottoms of the retorts and perforated at a predetermined point, for permitting the discharge of the articles from the retorts. A v

13. A tempering furnace comprising electrically heated retorts, means retorts one'after another along a prescribed path, means for holding the articles to be tempered in position to enter the retorts, means for automatically introducing the articles to be tempered into the retorts and means for automatically discharging the articles to be tempered from the retorts.

14. A tempering furnace comprising a retort frame, retorts located inthe frame, means for heating the retorts= a non-heatconducting means in which the retorts are embedded, means for introducing articles to be tempered into the retorts and means for permitting the discharge of articles from vthe retorts, the said retort frame and means 'for permitting the discharge of the articles from the retorts being movable relative to one another.

15. A tempering furnace comprising a revolving retortI frame provided with retorts. electric coils for heating the retorts. electric conducting rings connected with the coils, stationary binding posts for receiving the electricit7 'from a suitable source and brushes connecting the posts with the rings for transmitting current to the rings and hence to the coils around the retorts. means for introducing articles to bc tempered into the retorts and means for discharging the articles from the retorts.

16. A tempering furnace comprising a series of individual heated retorts. means for heating the retorts. means for introducing the articles to be tempered into 1die for moving the retorts at predetermined intervalsand means for positively regulating the time each article remains in the retort.

1T. A tempering furnace comprising a series of retorts mounted to rotate as a seri s. nit-iran.` for heating the retorts, a feed disl; for holding the articles to be tempered over the retorts preliminary to being-discharged into the retorts, gears for rotating the -series of retorts and feeddisk and means for interchanging the gears to vary the speer-lof rotation of the series of retorts and feed disk.

'18. In a tempering furnace, the combination with a series ofvretorts, means for heating the retort-s, means for feeding the articles to be tempered and discharging them from the retorts, means for supplying cooling liquid, and a receptacle into which the tools are discharged, of a tube leading upwardl7 from the receptacle to a point where the articles are discharged from the retorts an overtiow cup at the upper Iportion of said tube and an overflow conduit leading from said cup to the supply of cooling liquid.

19. Tn a tempering furnace, the combination with a series of retorts, means for heating` the retorts, means for feeding articles 'to be tempered to and discharging them from the retorts and a supply of cooling liquid,

of a receptacle for the cooling liquid located below the retorts and a tube leading upwardl)7 from the receptacle to the retorts for receiving the heated article from the retort and the said tube being provided with a bend nea-r its lower end for retarding the fall of the article as it enters the receptacle.

20. ln a tempering furnace, the combination with a retort, means for ieating the retort and means for feeding the article to be tempered to and discharging it from the retort` of a receptacle for the cooling liquid located below the retorI .a discharge tube leading from the retort to the receptacle and a deliverv pipe leading upwardly from the receptacle for removing the article from the cooling liquid 'in the receptacle.

21. ln tempering furnace. the combination with a retort, mea is for heating the retort and means for feeding the article to be tempered to and discharging it from the retort. of a receptacle 'for the cooling liquid located under the retort. a tube for directing the article from the retort into the receptacle. a turn table located in the receptacle, receiving vessels removably `seated on the turn table. a delivery turjie/ uprising from the receptacle and means for operating the turn table to bring the receiving vessels alternately underneath the discharge tube and delii'erjr to tube.

ln a tempering furnace. the combination with a retort, `nie-ans for heating the retort and; vmeans for feeding the article to be tempered. to and discharging it fron: the rello tort, of a receptacle for cooling liquid located beloiv the retort, a discharge tube C011- llll'wlllll" l l t g i i i lltll'lhlh eateivery tube uprising from the receptacle, a turn table mounted in the receptacle, receiving Vessels removably seated on the turn table, a guard plate located over the turn table and provided with openings through Which the receiving vessels are passed onto the table and a guard ange depending .from the top of the receptacle for retaining the articles on the guard plate and forcing them through the openings into the vessels when the turn table is turned.

23. ln a tempering furnace, two rotating trames or disks and an intermediate stationary frame or disk, one ot' said frames or disks being provided with retorts and-another of said frames or disks with passage- Ways separated by intervening spaces for opening and closing communication with the retorts and means for heating the retorts.

24. The combination with a retort for heating the'article to be tempered, of a tube into which the article to be tempered is discharged. meansl'or connecting the interior will,

l .i an means oi maintaining au upmud tio of cooling liquid through said tube, the said tube being provided at its upper portion With vertically elongatedopenings for the outflow of the cooling liquid.

l 25. rl`he combination with means for heating the article to be tempered, of a pipe into which the article is discharged from the retort, means for passing-the cooling liquid through said pipe, the said pipe being perforated at its upper portion for the disehargeol'I the liquid therefrom and a per- L forated tube depending into the mouth of the said cooling liquid tube for directing the article to be tempered as it leaves the retort.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses, this 22d day of Aug. 190e.

VERNON ROYLE. Witnesses:

VERNON E. ROYLE, HEBER ROYLE. 

